Neals Chick: You really like fluff don't you, so you should like this chapter! Thank you for all your reviews. Aravilui: I'm glad the Ceja part worked. I had no plan for that, it just kind of happened. Celuna Cirrus: Everyone needs a bit of romance – and if my other half reads this that's a hint, dearest! Goldeneyedwildmage: I felt like that about Jon too. I do like him, but he was a twit in that book. Dolphindreamer: You are so good at giving useful advice in a fantastic way! I was thinking about doing that, but didn't bother. Next time I will. The last chapter has lots of changes in scene, so I will separate them with a symbol. Thank you. Daine's Daughter: There are 22 chapters in total. It's around 71,000 words long when complete, which is the averagish length for a book. I'm stunned that I've written it in three and a half weeks. Silverlake: Thank you. I've the ideas for the festivals in mind since I wrote Embers to a Flame. I'm not religious at all, but I find the pagan festivals very interesting, so I'm currently enjoying doing lots of research. Sonnet Lacewing: You're right; people rarely portray the real side of relationships, particularly in YA stories. Couples are either desperately in love or screaming at each other. There is an in between. By the way, I said I'd get carpet burns in somewhere, so this chapter's for you! Aikia Riyen: I'm currently researching for short stories based on the pagan festivals. I may include one with some fencing in it, so thank you. Expect to be pestered in the near future!

A/N: This was my favourite chapter to write out of all of them. I had so much fun doing this I actually smiled and typed at the same time. I know that Mabon isn't mentioned in cannon, but as they celebrate Beltane and Midwinter I figured they would celebrate the other too. Jonathan does say in Wild Magic that him and Thayet take part in all the major celebrations.

Mabon is basically harvest time, and is the lesser of the eight festivals. I have drawn bits from many different traditions of paganism, as I will be doing for the Festival Sequence. I am nor an expert and all my research is net based, so I apologise in advance if I offend anyone, although I hope not to. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Tamora Pierce. Not me.

Chapter 21 – Mabon

Daine woke up with slightly painful skin and glared at the offending rug that adorned Numair's wooden floor. Even after nearly two months as lovers their passion for each other hadn't been quelled, if anything it had grown, and now Daine was suffering with friction burns in the most unlikely places. She poked Numair's stomach, demanding that he woke up and took some of the blame for her injuries. Numair smiled wickedly as he woke, obviously recalling their stumble into his rooms.

They had spent the evening in a private meal with the king and queen, Alanna and George, Onua, Sarge and one or two other of their friends. Throughout the evening, Daine had felt an evil imp inside her determined to tease Numair in anyway possible. She had wore a simple dress with a particularly low cut neck line and had made sure that whenever she had spoken to the mage he had had a good view. Sitting next to him at the table, she had managed to angle her body so that she could run her foot up the inside of his leg, sending flirtatious looks whenever she thought no one would notice.

Numair had remained silent for much of the meal, choking at one point when Jon had asked him a question about the stamina of mages with different types of gift at the same time as Daine had had her hand far too close to the top of his thigh, wearing the sweetest, most innocent smile she could muster. He had been completely distracted by his lover's actions and desperate to get her alone and in private where he could respond to her frustrating games. Managing to send Thayet into silent hysterics by uttering, "My stamina is very good," before blushing horrendously as he realised the double entendre of his words. As soon as it was polite to leave, Numair had made their excuses, pulling Daine as quickly as he could to his rooms, undressing her as soon as they approached the corridor that his rooms were off, flinging his door open and barely making it to the large rough rug that covered the floor in front of his bed. Kitten, thankfully, had been tucked into the little dressing room and was blankly oblivious to what was going on between the people who she considered to be her parents, due to the fact that she had finally made herself slightly poorly after eating a tub of cream Thayet used to remove the hairs from her legs.

He looked at the woman beside him who was now wearing a mock-angry expression.

"Well if you have behaved decently over that meal, you wouldn't have gotten your injuries!" He said, trying to torment him.

"Like you didn't fair enjoy it yourself!" She responded, turning her body to half straddle him and wincing slightly at the discomfort she felt as the cotton sheets brushed her knees.

Numair chuckled; it had been an excellent way to begin the celebrations for the autumn equinox, he only hoped that the company that they had been with last night hadn't noticed too much of what had been going on between them, although he was sure that Thayet's sharp eyes and quick mind had deduced fairly rapidly what Daine had been up to.

Mabon, the autumn equinox was one of the lesser celebrated of the eight festivals that commemorated the circle of continuing life and the changing state of the Great Mother Goddess. The next festival, Samhain, would be more widely celebrated as it was the time when the old year ended and the new year began.

However, as Thayet and Jonathan had explained to the principal people in the palace a week or so ago, given all that had happened in the past few months they thought it would be appropriate to make more of the Mabon Festival this year. It was also the day when Daine's parents would cross into the mortal realms to visit their daughter.

Recollection of this promise and the vision of an angry Weiryn made Numair move his hand rather sharply away from Daine's bosom back to his side.

"What's the matter?" Daine asked softly, her pupils dilated with desire. "Are you trying to get revenge for last night? If so, it's working!"

Numair smiled forcedly. "I remembered that it's the equinox and your parents will be paying us a visit."

Daine raised her eyebrows at the mage who was obviously attempting to develop some virtuous ways a little too late. "You're worried about my da?" She half laughed.

"I don't think he will appreciate what I've been up to with you," Numair mumbled, feeling like a naughty boy caught with his fingers in the sweet jar.

"Numair," Daine said, lying down on top of him, her words blowing warm air on his neck, something she knew would now be giving him palpitations. "If my Da wasn't happy with you they he'd have found someway to make you meet a poisoned bow somewhere," she reassured. "Beside, Ma is quite fond of you. She won't let him injure you in any way."

"Hmmm," Numair responded, his hands seeking out the place where they had been previously, and drifting into a re-enactment of their act the night before, reassured that Weiryn would not strike him down -for the moment anyhow.

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Thayet had made her mind up after the arrest of Karrum Makheen and the personal traumas they have undergone with George and Daine, to give as much thanks as possible at Mabon. They were in need of a celebration; the country was slowly beginning to get back into shape after the Immortals War, and the dissenters had now more or less ceased their attempts to cause trouble for the king. People were happily tired, a lot of effort had been put in by everyone to get as far as they had done in such a small space of time. She had started to decorate the halls and corridors two days ago, sending the children outside to collect the leaves that had started to fall, dipping them in paraffin and marking them with a symbol for protection. Collection of pine cones, acorns and ivy had been found to dress the halls and corridors, basket of fruit and fresh vegetables had been gathers and place on tables in rooms. Horns of plenty had been made up and were ready to be hung around the hall and main corridors of the palace. She had also made sure that the best of the harvests had been sent out to the poorer areas of Corus, and had encouraged the gentry in other areas to do the same.

She had persuaded Jonathan to let most people have the day off from their usual tasks. Autumn equinox was when the day and night were equal in length; from tomorrow hence, the nights would become longer as according to the myth, Tanist would take over the throne from Lugh, and in six weeks his reign would lead to the beginning of winter, after the celebration of Samhain.

Numair and the other palace mages had promised to create spells appropriate to Mabon, and she had asked Numair in particular, to involve the children in it as much as possible. Wine making would take place from the harvesting of various fruits that had been collected by Thayet and other during the previous week. The gifts given at Beltane had obviously pleased the gods as the harvest had been bountiful, even with all the destruction that had taken place throughout the country, and much fruit had been gathered.

For Thayet, the most important ritual that would be carried out during the festival was the adorning of the burial grounds with leaves, acorns and pine cones and honouring them that had passed over to the Black God. This year there would be many more to honour than usual.

She was also aware that Daine's parents, The Green Lady and Weiryn, would be attending. She imagined that her mother at least, would want to meet some of the people who were prevalent in her daughter's life and look round the place that Daine now called home. Thayet was a practical person, full of sense, even though she enjoyed to gossip and match make she continually had both feet on the ground. She wanted everything to be as good as it could be for both Daine's parents and Numair, knowing that the mage was incredibly nervous at meeting his lover's parents once more, especially as this time he would be meeting them in a different capacity than before.

Thayet laughed as she arranged a bowl of nuts, apples and pomegranates, recalling the rather obvious flirtation that had taken place between the two at dinner the night before. It seemed to have provided a contagious spark of lust, as most of the couples, including the newly reunited Harailt and Jayette, had retired early to bed after many sweet nothing and gentle touches had been exchanged. Thayet had also finally managed to forgive her own husband after he had put his foot down firmly at the idea of Kalasin becoming a page with the new intake. It had been Kally's dream, to follow in the footsteps of her beloved brevet aunt, but her father had announced to her several weeks ago that that wasn't going to happen. As the royal family they had a duty to maintain peaceful relationships with other countries. It had been frowned upon by some that he had married Thayet, exiled royalty, and not a princess from another country, so no peaceful links could have been made, as well as opening up newpaths of trade. Seeing Daine and Numair so in love and infatuated with each other had reminded her of her own relationship with her husband, and she had finally made peace with him, especially when he had told her who he had in mind for their eldest daughter.

As the sun began to break over the Corus sky and more people began to join Thayet in the preparation for the day, Thayet felt an overwhelming sense of peace and calmness settle over her. She watched Daine and Numair playfully tease each other while making up a decoration of ivy and acorns, Numair using his magic to bind the ivy tightly around a thick strand of Daine's hair. Alanna and George had arrived the previous day with their three children and were now involving them in the decoration making, Alanna at her most patient best. Maids hung curtains and wall drapes in shades of red, russet, orange, gold and brown. One wall hanging was finely embroidered with a picture of the animals that had been said to find Mabon – the Goddess's child who was born at this equinox – after his kidnapping. Two of the girls, who Thayet had taken into work at the palace after discovering that their father was beating them to a pulp and was planning on selling them as bed warmers, had spent their evenings and days off creating it as a gift to Thayet for what she had done to help them.

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Morning turned into afternoon and Daine found herself eagerly anticipating the visit from her parents, although Numair was visibly becoming more anxious by the second. She was expecting them to arrive in the early hours of the afternoon, and somehow find her in the palace grounds. Gainel had managed to open up her dreams so she couldcommunicate with her mother easily, and they had laid some sort of plan for when and where they would meet; but Daine remembered Sarra from days of old, and was in no doubt that some occurrence would develop and cause a delay somewhere along the line.

She walked through the palace grounds, holding Numair's hand, more so that he couldn't attempt to flee back into his study and avoid meeting her father than out of affection. They stopped at the edge of the forest, Daine leaning against a huge oaks tree that was surrounded by acorns. Numair pulled out a vial of liquid from a pocket inside his robe and poured it out surrounding the tree, walking clockwise around it. He looked at Daine's puzzled face.

"Have you not seen that before?" He asked her.

"Not for a long time. I suppose it's apt that you should give an offering to a tree though, given you created one of them!" Daine smiled.

"It's not really for the tree, more for the god of the forest," he correct, unable to resist although she rolled her eyes at his pedantic ways. "And here's another god of the forest," Numair murmured as he caught sight of Weiryn and Sarra emerging through the trees. Sarra waved at their daughter, her beautiful face smiling as she recognised them. Weiryn looked friendly, Numair noticed, almost as if he was glad to see the both of them, given that he didn't scowl when he spotted Numair.

Daine was enveloped in a huge hug from her mother, while Weiryn shook hands with the mage. He appeared to have lost any animosity towards Numair, which help to settle the swarm of nerves that had been flying around Numair's stomach since the morning.

"So, Master Mage," Weiryn began. "I see both you and Veralidaine are fit and well." He bet to kiss his daughter on the cheek.

"We are, very much," Numair replied. "All of our friends have come safely through what has been a very trying time." Weiryn nodded. Sarra stood on her tiptoes and shared a hug with Numair. Numair looked over his shoulder at Daine who was smothering a laugh.

"Shakith has had some involvement with you, I believe," Weiryn said, looking at Numair with more respect than he had ever shown him whilst they were in the divine realms.

Numair nodded. "She saved us from what could have been a nasty ending."

"Then you must have won her favour, or she sees great things for you or your offspring," Weiryn replied rather stiltedly, the word offspring said as he could taste something slightly nasty in his mouth.

They walked into the palace courtyards, Daine telling her mother about everything that had been going on since they had seen them last. Outside the palace a group was gathering to place leaves and acorns and other such things on the cairns that marked burials. Thayet was among them, as were most of the children. Daine heard her call them over to come to them and join in the walk to the nearby burial mound. Daine looked at her parents and Numair, wondering if they would find it rude if she suggested going along with Thayet.

"It's an important ritual at the Autumn Equinox," he mother said, guessing what Daine was thinking. "We will come with you and place our own offerings to honour those who have gone to the Black God. It'll give us chance to meet your friends here too." Daine could swear she saw Numair breathe a sign of relief that other people would be there to whom Weiryn could speak, and not spend allhis time waying up the tall mage.

The burial mound was a short walk away from the palace. As they walked they picked up more of the autumn gifts from nature, the multicoloured leaves and seed pods, along with the woody pine cones and smooth acorns that some red squirrels were trying to get to before them. The autumn day was a clear one, with the sun still giving out enough heat to make the walk pleasant and not chilly. The sky was clear, with only a little cloud cover, promising a chilly night ahead.

Sarra and Weiryn found themselves surrounded by the children, and she was amused to see her Da pick up Alanna's son, Alan and wriggle him onto his shoulders, letting him hold onto his horns for support. Numair was also surprised by Weiryn's actions, staring open mouthed until Alanna elbowed him and warned him about catching flies.

There was much laughter and many smiles as they paid their respects to the people who had passed. The ritual was not meant to be a morbid one, but a time to remember those people who were now in the spirit world, as it was also a time to think back over the months gone by and celebrate personal harvests. Numair put his arm around Daine's waist as they returned to the palace, his fear of Weiryn declining as he saw the god interact with his friends. She leaned into him, glad of his presence and felt the strong bond that had begun to tie them firmly together.

Sarra watched them as they walked, her heart filled with a mixture of joy and sadness. Her child was no longer a little girl, she had grown up into a marvellous, beautiful woman, with her own life. She smiled as she saw Numair whispering to Daine, the feelings that they shared as plain as day. She had chosen well, for he was a good man, and Sarra knew that he would rather die than have anything happen to her daughter.

They had watched the couple many times, peering into the mortal realms to see what their offspring and her mate were doing. Gradually, Weiryn had become accustomed to the tall, impressive mage, seeing for himself the care he took of Daine and the happiness he brought her. Sarra supposed that because Weiryn had never had anything to do with his daughter until a few months ago, all his overprotective instincts had set in at once. She could see from the corner of her eye that Weiryn was watching the couple as they walked slightly ahead of the rest of the pack and she wondered what he was thinking.

"She's in good hands, you know," the queen, Thayet said in a low, calm voice that had impressed Sarra from the start. "He dotes on her."

"That seems clear," the God of the Hunt replied to the dark haired woman. "She is lucky to have all this. Good friends, a good home and Numair as well."

Thayet smiled, she would be able to tell Numair that Daine's father approved of him finally.

They entered the palace, the hallways decorated with the traditional objects associated with Mabon. Thayet could smell the breads that had been freshly baked being taken out of the ovens mixed in with the scents of incense burning, cloves and cinnamon. Candles, in the same shades as the wall hangings and curtains glowed; bringing light to help the dimming sun, which would now show its self less and less each day until Midwinter. Kally, Roald, Thom and Alanna's twins ran up to Numair. Thayet had promised them that Numair would tell them stories about Mabon, Lugh and Tanist.

Numair sat down in a corner, surrounded by the children, Thayet's youngest girl sitting on his knee. The mage began the story, his dramatic way of telling a tale captivating his listeners. Numair had spent time as street magician when he had first come to Tortall, and made his living that way until his friendship with the king had been forged.

"Two twins once lived…" he began.

Alianne interrupted. "Like me an' Alan?" She asked.

"Just like you and Alan," Numair grinned at the small girl and continued. "They were called Lugh and Tanist. Lugh was the king, and he ruled all the way through he summer. Everyone like Lugh, he brought the sunshine and helped to make the food be bountiful. His brother…"

"So there not really like me an' Alan, are they?" Alianne interrupted once more. "Cause we're a girl an' a boy an' these were two boys."

"Quite right. But they were twins just the same," Numair smiled in amusement at the small girl.

"Where does he get his patience from?" Weiryn muttered to Sarra. Sarra smiled in amusement. It was clear that Numair had quite a way with children, which most women usually found endearing. She looked over at her daughter, Daine stood there spellbound by her lover.

"Every so often, Lugh became weak, and it would be possible for his brother to defeat him.One of those times was at the Autumn Equinox, and every year, Tanist would battle his brother for power, and he would win, helped by Blodauwedd, who turned Lugh into a eagle," Numair used his magic to create a swirling image of Lugh being transformed into the large bird of prey. "Tanist would then be the king until Ostara, and until then everywhere would fall into darkness and would sleep until Lugh regained his strength and claimed back his throne, when everything would become bright again and the sun would start to shine and plants and crops would start to grow," Numair finished, having told the tale simply enough so that even the littlest child had understood.

He stood up, striding over to pick up a basket that Thayet had dropped down near the party. In the basket were many lengths of corn. Numair picked out a few and began to twist, so quickly that Daine could barely see his hands moving. He produced a man made out of the corn and showed it to the children. They looked on in awe, Alianne gazing up at her Uncle Numy with huge eyes.

"People make a wicker man out of the last of the harvested corn. It's then taken out to one of the fields where it is set alight and sacrificed, just as Lugh sacrificed his place as king so he could rest and be strong again to help make things grow," Numair explained, handing the wicker man to Thayet's little girl. "It's also a way of putting goodness back into the earth."

"So Lugh was the earth sleeping and saving its strength until spring and Tanist was the winter and autumn when everything dies away, and he rules until Lugh takes over again?"Thom expressed his understanding.

Numair nodded, not in the least surprised by Thom's questioning.He was proving to be a bright boy with a lot of potential."It's like the idea of the rebirth of the Mother Goddess, she dies away only to be reborn.That's why when we went out to the burial grounds we weren't sad.We live in a continuous cycle of changing seasons, each one leads to the next.If we didn't have winter, then the ground wouldn't have enough time to prepare itself for the spring," he realised that the youngest children hadn't followed exactly what he was saying, partly because their eyes were too fixed on Numair's hands which were engaged in making another of the wicker men.

"Tell us the story of Mabon," Kalasin cried, bored with Thom's interest in detail.So 'Uncle Numy' began the tale of Mabon, the son of the Great Mother Goddess, who was kidnapped after he was three days old.

Daine came to sit next to him, taking over the telling of the story when he reached the part where the animals helped to discover Mabon's whereabouts.Sarra smiled as she watched her daughter animatedly adding to the tale, and Numair sitting back and enjoying watching her describe what each of the animals were like in detail.Daine had loved the story as a child, her mother recalled, and told it just as it had been told to her by her Grandda.One day, Sarra knew, she would tell it to her own children, although as Shakith had shown, that would be in a few years to come.

The children were left to make the miniature wicker men, once Numair had shown them simplyhow to do it.Weiryn approached the mage and Daine saw her father and her lover engage in a conversation, although the only part she could here was a comment her father gave about Numair having much patience.She went to her mother, linking her arm around her and began to usher her into the hall where an early light tea had been spread out.There would be a more formal ball that evening, once people had changed from their day clothes into their evening gowns, but by that time as Sarra had already explained, they needed to have returned to the divine realms.

Daine talked with her mother in private for awhile, walking around the palace grounds with her as the hall and the corridors became busy with people.She found all the more that Sarra had become less-absent minded and a little more practical, but Daine supposed that had something to do with now living with Weiryn and having a man to take care of.She imagined her Da to be just as preoccupied and distracted as Numair could be, and she knew that she had learnt to take care of Numair while he was like this in much the same way that Sarra seemed to with Weiryn.

"When do you think you'll move into his rooms?"Sarra asked as they discussed men in general, and Daine filled her in on a few bits of palace gossip.

Daine shrugged."He hasn't asked."

"He does want to, though," Sarra told her daughter, half not thinking about what she was saying as she threaded a daisy through her fair hair.

"How do you know?"Daine asked, he voice rising slightly at the bluntness of her mother's statement.

Sarra drew her attention back to her daughter."I'm sorry, sweet, I shouldn't have said that.We're not meant to meddle with mortal affairs, but it's so difficult when it's your own daughter."

"Has Numair said something to you?"Daine pressed, wanting an answer.

Sarra shook her head and sighed."I heard him muttering to himself about it when I was watching him."She saw a look of alarm on Daine's face."We don't watch you often, and certainly not if it's something you would not wish us to see – and there are certain things that we do not wish to see either!"

Daine laughed with relief.She would not want anyone to know about the friction burns on her body, least of all her mother.

"Would you live with him, then?"Sarra asked, glad to try and get the conversation back on safe ground.

Daine nodded."I practically do anyway.It's rare that I sleep in my own room at all now."

"Then maybe you should bring it up with him," Sarra gave her final word and stood up, a few daisies falling from her hair as she moved.

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Daine readied herself in Numair's rooms as usual, having brought more of her things up from her little room in the Rider barracks.Numair was still in the chamber room, she knew he was shaving by the little sounds he uttered; always the same ones, every time he shaved.

She opened a drawer where he had told her to keep some things and sighed, recollecting her mother's words.She sat down on the large bed and waited for him to emerge from the room.

His hair was still wet from his bath and she could smell the lotion that he used after he had shaved.Her heart gave a lurch in her chest as she thought of permanently being in his rooms, of having her things mixed in with his.She looked up at him, feeling slightly apprehensive, wondering what his reaction might be.

"What is it, Daine?"He asked, knowing that she had something on her mind.

"Numair," she began."Do you ever think it would be a good idea for me to move in with you?"

Numair eyed her thoughtfully."Has Weiryn been talking to you?"He asked.

"No, and why should he have mentioned that?"She replied, Numair's answer hadn't been the one she expected.

"He mentioned it to me, that I should ask you and then people would know that we weren't just a casual affair," Numair watched her face for her reaction.

"Ma mentioned it to me," she smiled at her parents' conspiracy."She did say that she thought you had been considering asking me anyway."

Numair laughed and nodded his head, his sensitive eyes filling with amusement and a look of happiness that Daine wasn't sure if she had seen before in such an amount.

"Your Ma is right," he admitted."I was trying to find the right moment to ask you.Do you want to live with me, Magelet?"He asked half shyly, hoping that her answer would be yes.

Daine nodded her head, her eyes shining as she told him the answer that filled his heart to hear.

Numair mentioned it to Jonathan at the celebrations that evening, shortly after the burning of the large wicker man in the main field of the palace.Jonathan had nodded his head and slapped Numair on the back with some gusto.

"Well done," he shouted above the noise."I'm delighted for you.I have no doubt you'll be as happy as Thayet and I have been."

Numair smothered a smile behind his hand since Thayet had only just about forgiven him for denying Kally a position as a page.He looked ahead and saw Daine, wearing his favourite blue dress and a white shawl to keep off the evening chill.He knew that they would be happy, more than he ever thought he deserved to be.

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